Hello Amy,
Thank you for sending this crystal regulator mantel clock to mearto.com for an appraisal. It is not an anniversary clock in the traditional sense. I shall try to help you today.
TITLE:
Gilt metal, brass and glass, single barrel spring, 14-day mantel clock with ‘fall-off’ hourly strike, Seth Thomas model, model no.791-081/16.5, made by the Franz Hermle and Son Clock Company, Germany, circa modern era.
DESCRIPTIONS:
CASE - 7 1/2” Height 11” x Length 4”, gilt metal and clear glass, rectilinear cased mantel clock with flat pediment having four gilt metal pyramidal finials at the four corners of the pediment. The case, constructed in the form of a traditional Crystal Regulator has flat pane glass sides and fluted gilt corner columns with ringed capitals and bases. There is a door at the back which provides access to the movement compartment. There are ornamental frieze at the top and bottom of the case with decorative undulating brass ornamentation. The case rests on round coin feet. The front glass has the name ‘Seth Thomas’ on it, representing the model name.
DIAL – Round brushed gilt metal skeletonized dial with central aperture for viewing the movement. There is a Roman hour chapter attached to the movement plates with four screws (@5, 7, 11 & 1). There are steel skeletonized Chippendale style hands and the dial is not signed.
MOVEMENT –A brass ‘ladder’ movement, gear train arranged vertically with a silvered bell placed above the tall movement. The back movement plate is marked, “83, zero jewels, Unadjusted, Made in West Germany, Hermle, 791-080, 16.5cm/167.700”. The movement is powered by a single barrel spring of fourteen days duration and has a passing strike on the hour (which requires no second barrel spring-also called a fall-off strike), a feature frequently found on skeleton clocks. (An anniversary clock will run for at least one year on a single winding, while this movement runs for two weeks, therefore it should not be labeled an anniversary clock -unless it was gifted for your own anniversary, of course.) The clock spring is wound from the back of the movement. The pendulum rod hangs at the front of the movement and avoids hitting the hands by using an ovoid open keystone. The speed is regulated from the bob below the dial.
CONDITION: Case –Used condition, with spotty oxidation changes in the gilt metal casing revealing a white metal below the surface. Generally very good condition. Dial/Hands – Excellent. Movement: Excellent and assumed functional.
HISTORICAL:
HERMLE
The Hermle clock factory was at Gosheim in the Black Forest region of Germany was founded by Franz in 1922 as a supplier and subcontractor for the Kienzle clock company of Schwenningen. Franz died in 1935, but had been joined by his son Gebhard in 1929. The factory was demolished during WWll but by 1951 Gebhard and a loyal staff had it up and running once again. He died in 1976, but the firm was then run by Hans and Heinrich Hermle, with 450 employees, located in West Germany, and still one of the major suppliers of movements to the world up to today.
PRICING:
This is one version of a Hermle movement which has been put into several differently styled cases and has been a workhorse movement for them in making various mantle clocks. It is hard to specifically date each movement but I suspect this example was made circa 2000. This clock has nothing to do with the Seth Thomas Clock Company except for Hermle using their name. Comparing the fair market value today of similar examples in different cases using this movement I would conclude that in its current condition it would sell in the range of $150-$200. Retail prices of course would be higher.
I hope this information has been of some help to you.
My best,
David